


Rage

by Vipersweb (Rhianona)



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-03
Updated: 2006-08-03
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:03:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhianona/pseuds/Vipersweb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Boomer finds out about Galen and Cally?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rage

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: [Insert witty comment here] BSG doesn't belong to me.
> 
> Author's Notes: Written for the BSG Character Death ficathon. Prompt used was: "The fault, dear [character], is not in our stars, But in ourselves." -Julius Caesar, Act 1 Scene 2

Prologue:

We came here promoting peace, setting ourselves up as benevolent rulers over our former masters. We told ourselves, our people that peace was the answer, genocide an evil and not part of God's plan.

We had a hope that once the humans saw we truly had no intention of killing them or of hurting them they would come to accept our rule and realize they were better off here on New Caprica rather than in space, constantly fleeing. We didn't realize how difficult it would be to try and reconnect with those we had formerly known, called friend… or lover. Or maybe the rest did. Maybe I just had on blinders.

Caprica Six had an easier time than I. None of the humans knew of her previous relationship with Gaius Baltar. No one knew that he had given her access to the Colonial defense frame that allowed the Cylons to destroy the Twelve Colonies. Oh there was the Six the Fleet knew as Shelley Godfrey, who had accused Baltar of collusion in the early days, but he had been cleared and she had fled. When we came here, he surrendered to us and joined her in our compound gladly. To the humans, she was a Cylon, with no history with the people of New Caprica.

Unlike me. I am Sharon Valerii, call sign Boomer. I had called Galactica my home for nearly two years, believed myself to be human. I had called the crew of Galactica my friends and loved many of them. They were my family. And then my programming awoke and I nearly destroyed Galactica before I put two bullets into a man I respected more than anything.

I don't like to remember what happened next. It is painful, confusing. I was a Cylon but I didn't understand what had happened; didn't understand that my whole life was a lie. Didn't understand until I lay on the cold floor of the place I had called home in the arms of the man I loved shot by a girl no one had ever considered dangerous. And I died.

Do you know what it is like to discover everything you believed is a lie? As a sleeper, I truly believed I was Lieutenant JG Sharon "Boomer" Valerii. That I was the daughter of Abraham and Catherine, who were killed in a disaster on Troy. The Fleet became my family; I pushed myself to make it though Flight School and even if I was assigned to the decrepit Galactica, at least it was a Battlestar. I found in Galactica the family I had been searching for, found friendship… found love.

God… Galen. I knew it was wrong to get involved with him. He was a noncom; I was an officer. Completely against regulations, but we both said Frak the regs! I loved him, even as I lay in my cell, completely confused. Even when he rejected me, rejected our love. Even as Baltar threatened to kill Galen if I did not reveal how many Cylons were in the Fleet. Even as I died in Galen's arms, my blood dripping on the Galactica deck, shouts and screams surrounding me. I loved him.

And it nearly killed me to find him in the arms of the one responsible for shooting me, for ending my life. To find them expecting a child, married, a team even as they had once been on Galactica. Cally. Little girl who looked so innocent, who didn't look like she could hurt a fly.

I always knew she had a thing for Galen. It was the way she would look at him when she thought no one was looking. The way she leapt to do his bidding, always seemed to know what he was looking for before he did. Always had his back, always supported him, protected him. I guess she felt that if she couldn't have him, making sure he was happy was enough.

She got him in the end.

Part I:

Galen Tyrol struggled to be heard over the shouts of his union members. He sometimes wondered why he had given up his job as Chief of the Deck on Galactica to come down to this frozen mudball of a planet. He glanced to his right and saw the reason why. His wife, round with his child and screaming "Shut the frak up!" It worked and brought a smile to his face.

Cally: one of the youngest on his crew, resilient and loyal to a fault. He didn't know how she could forgive him for nearly killing her when she tried to wake him up from a nightmare. But she did and he visited her, first out of guilt and then, as guilt disappeared, friendship. He doesn't quite know when it all changed but one day, he found himself looking at her and he realized, suddenly, in a blind rush that he loved her. It threw him for a loop and he started to avoid her. It was easy on a ship that was being rapidly depleted of its crew members. Lots of spaces to hide – except she always seemed to know where he was, finding him before he could get too comfortable. He didn't know how it quite happened but they went from friendship to something more. Before he knew it, they were resigning from the Fleet and moving to New Caprica, finding a priest and getting married. And now, in a few short weeks, Cally would be having their child.

If anyone had told him a year ago that this would be his life, he would have had Doc Cottle take a look at them.

***  
Later that day, he's standing next to Starbuck and Cally as the Cylons march down the main strip. He knows he's going to fight, knows Starbuck will as well. He worries about Cally. Worries that she'll try and push herself too hard and harm herself, or the baby. He worries that the Cylons will do something to her.

His wife is fierce and he knows she will want to be a part of the action. He just wants to protect her. He has a very bad feeling about all this, and it's not just because these are the Cylons.

He thinks Starbuck feels the same way. He sees in her a light he hasn't seen in a long time, not since she settled down on New Caprica with Sam Anders. It wasn't that she was unhappy with Sam. Anyone with a brain could see how crazy they were for each other. She was just made for flying and there was no flying, not here on New Caprica. Both he and Cally think she finally settled on New Caprica not only for Sam but because of the huge fight she and Commander Adama had had. Lords but they had been loud! Punches were thrown, accusations fell from their mouths and no one knew what it was about, not really. But Starbuck had packed up, resigned her commission and left on the first shuttle down to the planet. Hadn't looked back once, not even when the Old Man stayed away from her wedding.

As the Centurions marched down, he turned to Starbuck and asked her what they were going to do now. Funny how military protocol slipped out as soon as danger appeared, but he knew that if anyone was going to resist Cylon rule, it would be her.

He wasn't disappointed.

***

Galen was surprised to find himself in the thick of things; perhaps it had been his years as deck chief, and now as the union leader that caused others to look at him for leadership, but he had never really considered himself in that light. Sure, he ran a tight deck, but that was different. He fixed things, kept things going; he didn't lead people into death.

But there it was: after the Cylons began their occupation, certain members of the population gathered casually in the Anders' abode. The reason was simple: Sam was too sick to really move, but his experience at living under the Cylons on Caprica was too valuable to ignore. It was fortunate that many of those drawn to the tent were among those who normally visited the Anders: Laura Roslin, Galen and Cally. The Tighs may have just arrived on the planet's surface, but the Colonel had been a frequent visitor he had made the decision to settle. He and Starbuck had become friends in the months since she had left Galactica. Tom Zarek snuck in; many of his people were willing to cover for him should the Cylons come looking for him. It was a tight fit, but all there knew they needed to act quickly, establish some manner of communication between each other, some form of resistance plan before the Cylons could figure out who the likely resistance leaders would be and stop them.

Laura felt some priority should be given to protecting the mothers and children of those left on New Caprica. Many of the women who had settled on the planet had allowed their birth control to lapse (or, as in many cases, the supply of birth controls had simply run out) and found themselves expectant mothers. Being planet-side had given many – former Fleet and civilian – a false sense of security, letting them believe that it was okay to have children. This was now uncertain. Galen was secretly happy at Laura's insistence that these women were to stay as far from the Cylons as possible. It would hopefully keep Cally out of harm's way.

Cally reluctantly agreed to stay on the sidelines. She was pregnant and all had seen the Cylon's fascination with procreation since they had arrived. It had truly been frightening the way the Cylon known as Simon had circled around one of the pregnant women who had been unfortunate enough to be seen by him. No one in the tent wanted to give the Cylons an excuse to touch her, not if they could help it.

And then there was the presence of the Cylon they had all known as Sharon Valerii. Rumor had it that at least one of the Sharon models was part of the new Cylon leadership. Further rumor, courtesy of Felix Gaeta, insisted she was the reborn Sharon Valerii that had been stationed on Galactica and killed by Cally. No one really wanted to think what that could mean for Galen and Cally, least of all them.

Part II:

I knew from the census the President's staff had given to us that Galen had settled on New Caprica. It filled me with trepidation. Would he accept me as Baltar had accepted Caprica Six's return his life? I remembered him holding me as I lay dying in his arms. Would that memory still haunt him as it did me?

I also remember him rejecting me after I shot the Commander. I remember him shoving me away, telling me to stay far from him. But in the end, I died in his arms, his voice breaking as he tried to stop the bleeding.

The memory gave me some hope.

When we first arrived on New Caprica, I found myself busy organizing our oversight over the humans. Looking back, I think Three and Doral made sure of this. I didn't have the time to visit Galen. I didn't find out that he was married until a new population update crossed my desk. We Cylons wanted to be kept apprised of those under our care and the doctors – both human and Cylon – provided reports of deaths and births. I supervised the humans who entered the information into our database; it had become routine for me to glance over the lists as they came through. I wanted to know which of my former shipmates were on New Caprica, what they were up to and this was by far the easiest way to do so.

It was a normal morning that day. The reports came in and I scanned them quickly before handing them to the humans. Until I reached the last report. I cried out when I saw two names linked in a way I never would have imagined.

_"A healthy son born to Galen and Cally Tyrol." _

God! Galen, married and a father. With the woman who shot and killed me. Tears fell from my eyes as the pain stabbed through me. My hands crushed the papers in my hand. I was barely conscious of who else was in the room, ignored the murmurs of concern. I felt as if my whole world had ended.

I don't know how long I was lost in my shattered world. I came to to find Caprica Six gently stroking my hair, giving me comfort as she could. Funny: the two of us had bonded, despite none of our other copies seeming to particularly like each other. Maybe it was because we had both been through situations the other copies had never dreamed.

I suppose I had truly thought I could have Galen back, that he would accept me as Gaius had accepted Caprica Six. I couldn't take the pity I saw in her eyes and pushed away from her, from my desk. I was suddenly so angry, so livid at Galen that I could literally see red.

I had only one thought on my mind. They both must pay.

Part III:

Galen had never been so scared as when Cally had entered labor. He had known she was due soon, but he had hoped they would have enough warning to get her to the clinic run by Doc. Cottle and used by most of the burgeoning Resistance members. He was the only medic that didn't report births to the Cylons – or much of anything. Unfortunately, Cally had entered labor in far too public a place to simply slip away quietly and she was taken to the main clinic. He tried to ignore the Cylons who haunted the clinic whenever a birth occurred, tried to ignore the bad feeling in his gut as Cally struggled to bring their child into the world. Even as this should have been his happiest moment, his stomach knotted in dread.

***

It only took a few days for the medics to release Cally and their son from their care. Galen carefully shepherded them to the tent. No one bothered them and he felt a bit of relief as the tent flap fell behind them – not that a tent could protect them from any harm. Just the act of closing off the rest of the world made him feel better, even though he knew the canvas could do little to protect them.

He watched as Cally laid their son in the small crib they had built together in the months since they had found themselves expecting a child. He came up behind his wife, resting his head on top of hers.

"He's so perfect," he told her, embracing her from behind. She, for her part, allowed herself to be held, leaning back into him, taking strength from him. Cally was not afraid to admit that she was terrified. Ever since she had discovered the Cylons looked like humans she had felt as if her whole world had tipped itself upside down.

They tried to keep a low profile, hoping to keep outside of the Cylon's interest. She looked down on her son, and prayed to the Lords of Kobol that they would protect him from harm. Galen did the same.

***  
It had been a little over a month since their son's birth. The Tyrols had kept to themselves, though Galen worked with the Resistance as he could. Mostly planning and logistics as no one wanted to send the new father into more danger than necessary.

The Cylons on their part seemed to pay them no more mind than any of the other humans. Rumors swirled around New Caprica of the human models but no one seemed to know anything concrete. Some humans had begun to work for the Cylons, public work projects for the most part. Gaius Baltar remained as President, but everyone knew he was nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Cylons.

A measure of complacency had settled on New Caprica. After the initial panic of occupation, people had calmed and had even begun to act as they had before the Cylons had arrived. Centurions patrolled the city, but didn't touch or harm anyone. The human models preached peace, offered medical help and care, did nothing that would arouse suspicion or rebellion.

And then it all changed without warning. Certain members of the human population began to be arrested, detained and taken elsewhere. Almost all if them were members of the Resistance. Saul Tigh, Tom Zarek, Laura Roslin, and Kara Anders were among the first to be taken. Sam Anders managed to elude capture at the last minute by going underground, disappearing into the wild with a small group of resistance members. Galen and Cally held their breaths, wondering if they would be next. They decided to place their son in the protective custody program started by Laura Roslin to protect the children of New Caprica before her incarceration. Better to be safe than sorry.

Two days later, the Tyrols were rounded up and arrested. As Galen and Cally were dragged to the main Cylon complex, he prayed to the Lords of Kobol for strength and to protect his son.

He had a feeling he would never see his wife or child again.

Part IV

I bided my time, waiting until I had carefully thought through all the implications of my actions. In the end, I needed to know, needed to know why he had gone to _her_. I was both fascinated by and repulsed by the idea of their child. Perhaps that is why I gave them nearly a month with their child before making my move.

The Centurions had brought them to a part of our complex that remained deserted. As much as we had promoted peace, each model had sectioned off a part of our complex for ourselves. I knew that Kara Anders was in Leoben's care, just as Caprica Six had taken Gaius under hers. The Tyrols were mine.

Mine to do as I wished. Mine to punish, to maim, to… kill. Whatever I wished, I could do. It was a heady sort of power and it filled me with a boldness I had scarced credited myself with.

I had insisted to my brothers and sisters that I still had traces of humanity within me; I refused to admit that I was a machine, programmed to do God's will. It was only after I read that report, seeing the proof of how much the man I had loved had forgotten me that I gave up on my sense of humanity. I was a machine and the two of them would learn what would happen if the humans dared to anger one of us.

Distantly, I was aware that the other models seemed pleased by this event, pleased that I was so angered. Only Caprica Six had looked at me with sad eyes. She tried to speak with me but I refused to discuss my actions. She had Gaius. I now had no one. Not even the hope of someone.

***

The Centurions had deposited my prizes in adjacent cells. They had not been able to find their child. I would have to locate him later. He was not my concern at the moment. I was currently pacing in front of them, trying to decide which cell to enter first. Did I want to confront the woman who had killed me? To ask her why? Or did I want to hear the man I loved explain to me why he was with my murderer.

My decision was made as I heard Galen yell out to Cally, trying to ascertain whether she was okay. A smile crept on my face as I let myself into the tiny cell. I looked down at the human before me, letting the anger, the pain, the betrayal I felt fill my soul.

"Hello Specialist," I said softly, grinning in anticipation at her start of fear. "I hope you find your accommodations to your liking," I continued, menace in my voice. She gaped at me in surprise before going on the attack. She always was a fighter.

I ignored her vitriol, calmly walking up to her and slapping her hard enough for her head to rock back. I grasped her chin with my hand, forcing her to look at me, to see the hatred I felt for her reflected in my eyes. "You killed me Specialist. Did you think I would forget?" I asked her softly. I could see her struggling to hide her fear. I thrust her from me; she stumbled, hitting the opposite wall. I almost left then, wanting to let her sit there, wondering what I would do to her.

But then… But then I heard Galen calling for her, begging her to answer him, to reassure him she was all right.

I lost it. I took my frustrations out on her, beat her as only a machine could without getting tired. How could Galen love her? Why had he turned to her? I didn't understand and in my ignorance, I sought obliteration.

By the time I finished venting my hate for her, she was a bloody pulp of flesh. I stared down at her, nudging her with my foot. She didn't move, didn't make a sound. I turned from the cell, looked at the Centurions who stood at attention in the hall. "Get rid of her," I ordered contemptuously before walking to Galen's cell.

I unlocked the door and entered, covered in his wife's blood. "We have a lot to talk about Chief," I told him, an eerie smile on my face. I felt distant, as if I wasn't really there. He grew silent, perhaps sensing how very close I was to the edge. I looked at him, wondering what it was I felt for him.

I could no longer answer that. The silence grew between us. I leaned down before him, breaking the silence. "I can still feel your arms around me Chief, holding me as I died. Still feel you saying 'No.' Do you remember?" I asked him softly.

He shuddered, slowly shaking his head that he didn't. "Liar," I whispered before punching him in the gut. "You betrayed me Galen," I told him, almost conversationally as I continued to pummel him. He didn't make a sound beyond the occasional gasp or groan. "I _loved_ you Galen. All I wanted was your love. And this is what you do?" I screamed. "You marry the woman who killed me."

I shook my head in disappointment. "And now… you pay."

***

I left my section of the internment cells covered in blood, after ordering the bodes to be disposed of at the human camp. I was still in my own world where my rage lived on. Killing Cally, killing Galen hadn't made me feel better. In truth, I felt sick and knew as soon as I had a chance to reflect on what happened regret would come. But for now, I was cocooned in my self righteous anger.

It didn't last for long.

***

"The humans are disturbed," Caprica Six informed me. I stared listlessly out the window, my arms wrapped around my middle. The images of beating my former lover and his wife to death played through my mind. In the end, I hadn't gotten my answers. I didn't know why Galen had turned to Cally. And now I never would.

"Did you hear me?" Caprica Six asked urgently.

"Yes," I replied dully. "I suppose I shouldn't have had the bodies dumped in the town square," I continued.

"No, you shouldn't have," she agreed.

We remained silent for a while. Caprica Six had been my partner. Together, we had convinced our brethren that the war needed to end, our pursuit of humanity was not part of God's plan. And now, I had proven to myself no better than the other models who had preached death.

"What have I done?" I asked her brokenly. "We came here pledging peace… I told the others that killing was not the answer and look what I've done!" I turned to look at her, hoping she would have the answer. "Is this part of God's plan? Are we destined to destroy those we love?"

She looked at me sadly. "The fault, dear Sharon, is not in our stars, But in ourselves."

I looked at her, her words echoing in my soul. She sounded eerily like Leoben. But she was right.

We had tried to pretend we were human, but we were not. We were machines, programmed to destroy our creators. We might think we acted independently, that we had control over our actions. But we didn't. God had a plan and no matter how much tried to alter it, we could not. We had a future to fight for. And humanity was not part of it.


End file.
